On the ninth death anniversary of democracy icon Cory Aquino, her bereaved kin console themselves with the fact that she did not have to live through efforts by certain groups to gradually erase her hard-fought legacy.
鈥淔irst, we miss her. But in a sense we鈥檙e glad she doesn鈥檛 have to see what鈥檚 happening to our beloved country these days,鈥� said her son, former President Benigno Aquino III.
Aquino made the remarks to reporters at Manila Memorial Park, at the tomb of former President Cory and her husband, former Sen. Benigno 鈥淣inoy鈥� Aquino Jr., which had been bedecked with yellow chrysanthemums.
The renewed spotlight on Cory鈥檚 role in ushering the return of democracy, after years of dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos, seemed to be the perfect foil amid an alleged backslide toward tyranny under President Rodrigo Duterte.
NOURISHING MOTHER Former President Benigno Aquino III, along with his sisters Pinky Abellada, Viel Dee and Ballsy Cruz and nephew Joshua, marks the ninth death anniversary of Cory Aquino at Manila Memorial Park. 鈥擫YN RILLON
Dual roles
The younger Aquino said his mother was 鈥渘ourishing,鈥� but the assassination of Ninoy and her swift rise to the presidency forced her to take on dual roles as 鈥渂oth mother and father to all of us.鈥�
鈥淚 think that really helped us to grow, understand our condition, and really fortify our spirits for all the struggles we had to undergo,鈥� he added.
鈥楻ecycling appointees鈥�
Aquino was the latest on Wednesday to add his voice to the chorus of denunciations against the President鈥檚 penchant for 鈥渞ecycling鈥� officials he had already sacked.
鈥淲hen you remove someone from their position, it means loss of trust and confidence [on the appointee],鈥� Aquino said. 鈥淚f you place them in another position, can that be? In another capacity, you can suddenly trust them again?鈥�
But Aquino showed no appetite for staging a political comeback when asked about his plans for the 2019 elections.
鈥淧eople have been asking me, won鈥檛 I run? I said, if I run, they鈥檒l throw everything [at me] including the kitchen sink, [even] the house where it鈥檚 attached,鈥� quipped Aquino, before adding that he still had 鈥渁 lot of supporters.鈥�
鈥淔or sure, I鈥檇 win,鈥� he聽 said.